Marketing CSIs examining the Volkswagen Tiguan naming catastrophe need look all the way to Europe, where, as we’ve reported, the name was selected by readers of Germany’sAuto Bild magazine from a pool of equally weird alternatives. It is, VW, tells us, a combination of the German words for tiger and iguana. Either nobody in the higher echelons of management noticed, or they just didn’t care that it also works as a combination of theEnglish words for tiger and iguana.

As inspiration for a model name, the tiger makes sense—regal, beautiful, and powerful; the iguana not so much. Quite lazy in captivity, young iguanas eat bugs and the feces of adults—not exactly the cuddly sort of spokes-animal that will steal mountains of sales from the Honda CR-V. But did you know that green iguanas have a third eye on the top of their heads?

Third Eye (Not) Blind

Called a parietal eye, it can not form images like a normal eye, but it can sense light and movement, which makes it particularly useful for avoiding airborne predators. Perhaps this is why Volkswagen chose to incorporate the lizard into its SUV name; the Tiguan’s optional sunroof is immense, and allows occupants to both track winged threats and enjoy passing mountains and trees with equal ease.